Universe Nails Tutorial!

I promised it a while back, and here it is! My step-by-step tutorial for universe nails (which everyone else calls galaxy nails, but I already established look like the universe instead of a galaxy).

What you'll need:

Black creme polish
White creme polish
2 universe-ish colors (really, you can choose any that you want...)
Silver glitter polish (optional)
Plastic wrap
Patience

1. Black. Any black creme will do - I used a drug store brand that I've had for a while. It's getting DREADFULLY goopy, which made application a challenge, but the nice thing about universe nails is that you don't really have to worry about neat application. 

Wet 'n' Wild Black

2. Bits of plastic wrap. While you're waiting for your black to dry (even if you use a fast-dry topcoat over them, you're going to want to wait until they're COMPLETELY dry), get yourself four small pieces of plastic wrap - probably at least two inches long on each side. Bunch the saran wrap pieces up. (Sorry I don't have any pictures...but I think you should be able to figure out how to bunch up a piece of plastic wrap...)

3. Plastic wrap white. Again, I'm sorry I didn't think to take pictures of the plastic wrap process itself! Put a drop of white polish (I used Zoya Purity) on a paper or plastic plate. Dip one of your plastic wrap pieces in the drop of polish, then lightly dab it across your nail in a random kind-of-linear pattern.

You'll probably get some on your fingers and cuticles around your nails - don't worry about that. You can clean it up later!

4. Plastic wrap your first color. Put a drop of your first universe-ish color on the plastic or paper plate, then dip a new piece of plastic wrap in it. Dab it onto your nail, in the same way you did with your white, but use the white as a guideline for where to apply the new color. I used Zoya Gwin here!

See how it follows the white but isn't directly on the white?

5. Plastic wrap your second color. Use the same technique as in step 4 with your other universe-ish color. I used Zoya Trinity for my nails.

If you want, at this point you can dab a silvery or gold foil-ish polish over the white to give a sparkly look...but I kind of forgot to do that last night. (Last time, I used OPI Designer...de Better!) It's not a super noticeable addition, but it does add to the universe-ish look.

6. Glitter! You don't have to do this step either if you're not really into glitter, but you can add stars to your universe by using a silver glitter polish coat over everything. Last time I used NYC Starry Silver Glitter, this time I thought I'd try nails inc. Burlington Arcade.

Wait a minute or so, and then brush on a topcoat!

Once your nails are COMPLETELY dry, it's time to clean up. A lot of people use cotton swabs dipped in acetone remover, but honestly, I just use it as an excuse to take an extra hot shower and rub off all the excess nail polish there. Yeah...I'm not kidding.

The final product?

And if that feels like too much work for you, you can always get a starry sky feeling from just doing a layer of glitter over your black creme! 

(I just put a coat of Burlington Arcade over black on my right hand...I was too tired from Black Friday to do another hand of universe nails...)

Burlington Arcade is part of nails inc.'s collection of Nail Jewelry polishes - I think it also comes in blue, green, and pink - and as far as I know, you can only get nails inc. at Sephora in the United States. It's a cool glitter that's different, and if you're looking for something to make your nails look more holiday-ish as we get closer to Christmas (EEK! YESSSSS!!!), then Nail Jewelry might be something you check out!

Let me know if you try out universe nails yourself - post pics on the blog's Facebook wall so I can see them!

Stay happy :)))